Liquid safety-valve for gas-distributing pipes



(No Model.)

J. G. CONROY. LIQUID SAFETY VALVE FOR GAS DISTRIBUTING PIPES.

No. 401,136'. PatentedApr. 9, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea,

JAMES O. CONROY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THE UNION VATER METER COMPANY, OF VOROESTER,

MASSACHUSETTS.

LIQUID SAFETY-VALVE FOR GAS-DISTRIBUTING PIPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,136, dated .April 9, 1889.

Application filed January Z, 1889.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES O. OONROY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid Safety-Valves for Gas-Distributing Pipes, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specication sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide an efficient and' reliable pressure-relieving escapement apparatus or liquid safety-valve for use on gasedistributing pipes in connection with reducers or regulators and for similar purposes, said apparatus being more especially designed for natural-gas distribution, where pressure is reduced from a high intensity of, say, about five hundred to eight hundred pounds (more or less) to a nominal working-pressure suitable for general delivery and use, my said invention being adapted to serve as a guard for relieving the distributing main or pipe in case of any accident to thereduc ing or regulating mechanism which throws undue pressure into said distributing-main, thus allowing the gas to escape for reducing the excess of pressure in said distributingmain without damage to or derangement in the working of apparatus at the point or points ot distribution. These objects I attain by mechanism the nature, construction, and operation of which are shown and explain ed, the particular subj ect-matter claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of my improved liquid safety-valve. Fig. 2 is a vertical section at line XV NV, showing the apparatus provided with a movable shield or ioat and check-valve at the top exit-passage. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section at line a' 9;. Fig. 4f is a horizontal section at line y y; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the upper chamber, showing a stationary shield without a valve.

My apparatus consists, essentially, ot' an up right tubular standard, A, having a lower chambered bulb, B, and an upper chambered Serial No. 295,153. (No model.)

bulb, C, of spherical or other suitable form, connected therewith, as indicated.

The apparatus is provided at its lower part with a iiange or suitable connecting-boss, d, whereby it can be attached to a branch of the distributing-main D, and at its upper end with a hub or flange, d', to facilitate the connection therewith of an escape-pipe, when required, for conduct-ing the escaping gas to any desired place of discharge.

The standard A and chambered enlargements B and C can be made of cast metal integral, as shown, or of sepan ble parts properly joined together, it preferred. The tube A eX- tends within the lower bulb, B, as indicated at a, and its end opens into the chamber near the bottom thereof. A channel or channels, l, divided from the chamber by suitable partitions, lead from the main inlet-passage E and open into the upper part ot the chambers at Z) b, thereby forming a pocket for containing a liquid that seals or makes a dipvalve with the end a of the tube A. The top end of the tube A opens flush with the bottom of the chamber C, as indicated at c. The chamber C is of sufficient capacity to contain the contents ot the liquid-receptacle, or of greater capacity. A glass tube or suitable indicating-gage, G, is attached to one side of the standard A, through which the level of the liquid can be seen, and a graduated index for showing the relative pressure is combined therewith. A shield or guard, F, is provided within the chamber C, arranged as an inverted cup above the opening of the tube A. Said shield can be stationary or movable, as illustrated. About the upper or exit passage, fa, from the chamber C there is formed a valve-seat, c, upon which closes a puppet-valve, ll, that is connected with the shield F, or lined upon a spindle, J, which serves as a support and guide 'for both the puppet and shield and which is retained in proper central relation to the passage by suitable guiding-eyes at jj, so that it can move up and down freely within a given limit. The top of the shield at f is tted to serve as a valve against the under part. et' the valve-seat when said shield is lifted to a sufficient height.

An adjustable sleeve, m, with check-nuts or other suitable adjusting-stops, is preferably combined with the valve I, spindle, or shield F for arresting the upward movement at any desired position before the top f of the shield strikes the seat c', so that it can be adjusted to come more or less closely to the seat, as desired, without completely closing the exitpassage.

The lower chamber, B, is provided with a suitable filling-cock, K, and a drain-cock, K', for introducing and withdrawingliquid to and from the interior of said chamber. A quantity of liquid, L, sufficient to balance the normal working-pressure of the gas, is filled into the chamber B to form the seal or dip valve with the end of this tube A. For this purpose oil, glycerine, mercury, or other suitable liquid may be employed. So long as the normal pressure is maintained in the distributing-main D the liquid stands in equilibrium therewith; but in the event of any accident that causes a sudden and excessive pressure of gas within the main then the oil or liquid is forced up the tube into the upper chamber, C, and the gas flows out through the exitpassage n until the pressure in the main is relieved. When excess of pressure ceases, the oil or liquid flows back into the lower chamber and again seals the passage. The shield F prevents the liquid L, when forced up into the chamber C, from being thrown out oi' the' exit-passage n, and in case the valve H is employed said shield also serves as a fioat for raising the valve. In the latter case the valve mechanism acts as a check for graduating the escape of gas, whilethe puppet serves to close the exit and prevent backward action or sucking in the dip-seal under circumstances that might occur.

This safety apparatus, while primarily designed to meet the requirements of service in natural-gas distribution, can be successfully and beneficially employed as a safety-valve and gage for artificial gas, steam, or air under similar conditions of pressure and action, and may be constructed with the stationary shield or guard F, or with the movable shield and valve, as desired, the capacity of the apparatus and resisting power of the liquid-valve being proportioned or modified in degree to meet the requirements ofservice or for light or heavy pressures, according to the circumstances of particular situations where used.

The size of the tubular standard A and passages through the apparatus can, if desired, be made substantially of the same sectional area as the distributing-main D, whereon the apparatus is used, thus providing an escape that will without difficulty instantly relieve.

the distributing-main and allow any excess in pressure or quantity of gas to pass off through the escapement apparatus.

l claim as my invention to be secured by Letters Patent- 1. A liquid safety-valve and escapement apparatus comprising the tubular standard provided at its lower end with a chambered bulb having an inlet and 4gas passages and forming a liquid-containing pocket about the end of the tube, and having at its upper end a chambered bulb or enlargement joining flush with said tube and furnished with an exit-passage, and provided with attaching fianges or bosses at the inlet and exit for connecting said apparatus with a main and a discharge pipe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the tubular standard provided with the lower chambered bulb having inlet and gas passages arranged to form a pocket for liquid for sealing the end of the tube, and the upper chambered bulb having an exit-passage, of the shield disposed within said upper chamber above the tube, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, substantially as described, of the tubular standard provided with upper and lower chambered bulbs, gas inlet and exit passages, and liquid seal for the lower end of said tube, a gage-glass for denoting the level of liquid within the tube, and the inverted-cup-shaped shield suspended within the upper chamber, for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, substantially as described, of the tubular standard provided with the lower chambered bulb having inlet and gas passages adapted for containing a liquid to form a seal or liquid-Valve at the lower extremity of the tube, the upper chambered bulb provided with the exit or escapement passage, and a movable shield suspended within said upper chamber over the tube and having at its top a disk or surface filled at its top to close or partially close said exit-passage, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, substantially as described, of the tubular standard provided with a lower chambered bulb or enlargement having inlet and gas passages and fitted for containing liquid to seal the lower end of the tube, the upper chambered bulb havi n gan exitpassage with a valve-seat about said passage, a movable shield suspended within said upper chamber over lthe end of the tube and having its top fitted for closing outward to said valve-seat, and an adj usting-stop, m, for 'arresting the upward movement of said shield at a given position in relation to said valveseat, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, substantially as de'- scribed, of the tubular standard provided with a lower chambered bulb or enlargement having inlet and gas passages and fitted for containing liquid to seal the lower end of the tube, the upper chambered bulb having an exit-passage with a valve-seat about said passage, a puppet-valve closing inward against said seat, a movable shield connected with said valve and suspended within said upper chamber over the end of the tube and fitted for closing outward to said valve-seat, and

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the purpose set forth. Y

7. The combination, with 2 gays-distributing pipe or main, of the tubular standard provided Wit-h the lower olimnbered bulb having inlet-passages disposed for maint-Lining al liquid seal at the lower end of the tubej al chamber at the upper end of said tube, into l and from which said sealing-liquid can dow, an

escapement or exioopening at. the top of said upper chamber, L shield disposed Within, between the tube and esoapeinent-opening, and an indicator or gage-gears fixed on the side of said tubular standard, all arranged for operationj Substantially as and for the purpose seb forth.

Witness my hand this 26th day of Deoem ber, A. D. 1838.

JAMES C. CONROY. 1Witnesses:

A. G. HERMAN, H. E. TROUTMAN. 

